Carpenter Ants and Other Ant Species

Ant Extermination and Control Specialists in Southeast Wisconsin

Ehlers Pest Management specializes in treating and exterminating ant species native to southeastern Wisconsin, and we can help you rid your home or commercial building of any ant infestation you may have. Don’t hesitate to call our team of exterminators today to learn more about our expert services for homes in the Milwaukee area.

of exterminators today to learn more about our expert services for homes in the Milwaukee area.Ants are relatively harmless, but they can be a huge nuisance when they infest your bathroom, kitchen or pantry space. They tend to appear wherever food or water may be, and the professional exterminators at Ehlers Pest Management are here to help. Our environmentally-friendly pest control methods are sure to keep ants away from your home while also making sure the place stays safe for children and pets.

Some types of ant infestations commonly found in Wisconsin include:

Big-headed ants

Crazy ants

Pavement ants

Pharaoh ants

Thief ants

Our pest-free commitment begins with a complete inspection of your structure and property by a state certified Ehlers Pest Management Technician. We identify the type of ants in your home, determine the source, and implement a custom solution utilizing the most advanced Milwaukee insect extermination and removal procedures and products available.

The carpenter ant is one of the largest ant species in North America, growing up to 5/8” in length. The two common carpenter ant species have dark black bodies with bent antennae, though other minor carpenter ants species can vary between black, reddish, yellowish, and even dark brown.

How to Tell if Your Home is Infested with Carpenter Ants

While their natural nesting sites are tree trunks and limbs or downed trees, carpenter ants are also prone to invading buildings and homes in search of new territory. Carpenter ants usually enter homes, businesses, and buildings during the warmer months of the year when they are more active and usually nest in wood porch structures, windows frames, door frames, and any wood which is easily accessible from the soil and could retain moisture. Their large, black bodies make them easier to notice, but as this species usually sends out lone explorers, it can be difficult to judge the scale of the infestation.

The easiest way to ascertain whether or not you have a Wisconsin carpenter ant infestation is the presence of large, flying insects swarming around windows during the spring months. Adult carpenter ants will leave the nest during these times to find new territory and found new colonies and, if there is a nest indoors, it’s very difficult to miss these clouds of flying ants. Another obvious sign of carpenter ant infestation is wood dust or particles and small piles of wood shavings located close to older, damp wood.

If you see carpenter ants in your home or business during the late winter and early spring, it may be a sign that the nest is located somewhere within the building. If you begin noticing carpenter ants in the later spring and throughout the summer, it’s likely that the nest is outside and they’re simply coming inside for food. Carpenter ants aren’t able to damage the structural integrity of the areas they infest, but they can cause a lot of other expensive damage.

Carpenter Ant Extermination Services in Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha

Carpenter ant extermination is one of the most common Wisconsin pest control services Ehlers Pest Management provides. Controlling or eliminating carpenter ants is very difficult without the right training and equipment. The problem is you have to wipe out the entire nest. Just killing off the ones out scouting for food doesn't address the real problem: there are hundreds more ants somewhere in your home.

For best results getting rid of a carpenter ant infestation, you really need to bring in experienced Milwaukee pest control professionals. The Ehlers Pest management Milwaukee ant control specialists have extensive experience in pet-friendly carpenter ant extermination and removal. We have successfully wiped out carpenter ant infestations in hundreds of homes throughout Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties.

Big-Headed Ants

As their name suggests, big-headed ants are easily identified by their large heads—often larger than their thorax. Although the major workers of this species have large heads, the minor workers are smaller and have normally proportioned heads. Big-headed ants are commonly found under logs, large rocks and concrete slabs, but they will occasionally nest in rotted or termite-damaged wood. Indoors, big-headed ants often nest in the soil of potted plants.

The good news is this species is quite rare in Wisconsin and it does not sting or bite humans. If you suspect you may have an infestation of big-headed ants, contact the Wisconsin ant control specialists at Ehlers Pest Management. Our pest control experts will be able to identify the ants in question and devise an effective treatment plan based on the severity of infestation.

Crazy Ants

Although crazy ants are most common in the Gulf Coast states, our Milwaukee-based pest management company receives a steady flow of desperate customers needing help with crazy ant control in Racine, Milwaukee, Bayside, Shorewood and other towns throughout Southeast Wisconsin. Crazy ants get their name from the way they move, lurching right and left with no apparent reason to their movements, but it could just as well come from the way they drive homeowners crazy.

Appearance and Characteristics of Crazy Ants: Crazy ants are black, about 1/8 inch long, and easily identifiable by their long legs and antennae. While crazy ants usually prefer nesting in piles of outdoor materials like lumber, mulch, firewood, or beneath loose tree bark, they will also nest indoors in walls, beneath carpeting, in potted plants, and in any cozy nook or cranny. For some odd reason, they seem to like getting into electronic equipment like televisions, stereo receivers, microwave ovens and computers. In so doing, they have caused short circuits which have ruined laptops and appliances.

Controlling and Eliminating Crazy Ant Infestations: Crazy ant control is considerably more challenging than other insect control due to their tendency for nesting indoors and out, in dry and moist habitats, and the sheer volume of their colonies. Regularly scheduled ant control treatment and services are the only solution. With regular pesticide application, Ehlers ant control experts can successfully eliminate crazy ant infestations and prevent the establishment of new crazy ant colonies.

If you suspect you have an infestation of crazy ants, contact Ehlers Pest Management immediately. Call us at 414-303-6926

Pavement Ants

Pavement ant control is one of Ehlers Pest Management’s most common pest control problems in Wisconsin. Pavement ants are brown, growing up to 1/8 inch long. Pavement ants nest in the soil surrounding driveways, patios, sidewalks, hollow block walls, and other concrete slabs. Ehlers Pest Management pest control professionals utilize several methods for pavement ant control including ant bait and spot and perimeter treatments.

Pharaoh Ants

Ehlers Pest Management provides pharaoh ant control in Milwaukee, Oak Creek, Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, Bayside, Fox Point and throughout Racine and Kenosha counties. The Pharaoh ant is yellow, growing up to 1/8 inch long. While preferring to nest in damp bathrooms and kitchens, Pharaoh ants will nest in any suitable nook, wall, furniture, or curtain rod or under roof shingles. When Pharaoh ants are killed by do-it-yourself pest control methods, the colony splits into multiple colonies to ensure their survival. The ant control experts at Ehlers Pest Management prevent infestations from spreading and eliminate colonies with technologically advanced pest control treatments.

Thief Ants

Ehlers Pest Management is experiencing an increased demand for thief ant control throughout southeast Wisconsin. Thief ants are one of the smallest ants, golden-yellow to dark brown in color, and less than 1/16 inches long. In the home, thief ants are detectable by the trails they travel in when foraging for food and water. Thief ants nest in wall and baseboard crevices, cabinet nooks and under countertops. Outdoors, thief ants are extremely difficult to detect, burrowing beneath the surface of rotted soil and wood. While locating the source is half the battle for successful ant control, Ehlers pest control pros can utilize a variety of methods and products to solve the problem.